Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-10-07
Care OF The HAIR.
WHY WE ARE LIKELY TO BECOME
A NATION OF BALD HEADS.

WHY WE ARE LIKELY TO BECOME
b A RATION OF BALD HEADS.
No careful observer fails to no
tice, as he looks over assemblies o
men past 30 Yeas of age, that
very large proportion is bald or II
a state OF partial badness, which
indicates the speedy loss of the hir
suite appepdage. The percentage
of men of all ages who show signs
/ of badness has been put at 80 pei
: cent, and by some observers as
high as 40 per cent. From careful
observations in churches, theatres,
lecture rooms and political assem-
blies we are satisfied that these es-
Inmates are too high, and that %
or "a per cent. is a more exact eSti'
mate.
This exhibit is alarming, as 1t in
dicates that the time Is rear when
we shall be a nation Of bald heads,
and that alopecia as a disease will
afflict the youth IN onr schools, as
through heredity physical defOrmi'
ties and illnesses are multiplied and
extended to an enormous extent.
SECURING THE SCALP.
What is the cause of this early
loss of hairi 1t is not due to the
hats or caps we wear, not to the
clipping of the hair close, not to
living in hot rooms; it is not due
to the forms of foods we consume,
but, IN our view, it is largely due
to modern methods of treatment of
the halr and scalp. The erroneous
view prevails that the skin which
holds the hair follicies and the del
icate secretoyy organs of the scalp
must be kept as "clean," so to
speak, as the face or hands; con.
sequently young men patronlze
BARRIERS or hairdressers, and once
or twice a week they have what is
called a shampoo operation per-
formed; and this consists of a
thorough securing of the hair and
scalp with dilute ammonia water
and soap, so that a heavy "lather"
is produced, and the glandular Sc
cretions, which are the natural pro-
lection of the hair, and prOmotive
of its growth, are sapOnified and
removed. No act could be more
directly destructive of a healthy
growth of hair than this, and no
one is more common.
The practice of frequently wash.
ing the head In warm or cold water
at home with or without the adj
juncts of soap, alcohol, ammonia or
perfumery is deleterlOus and pro.
motive OF early loss of the hair
Men IN active indoor business
clerks, bankers, shopkeepers in
clties-are continually washing the
head. Many do this night and
morning, under the false notion
that it is necessary to cleanliness,
and promOtive of vigorous growth
of hair, and when alarmed at its
rapid disappearance in early lite
they are at a loss to understand
the reason. The secretion of wax
in the ear passages is natures
method of protecting the delicate
machinery upon which hearing de-
pends. 1t closes the organ to the
entrance of insects and dust; and
fortunately the secretion is, to a
considerable extent, placed beyond
easy interference, and thus the
sense of hearing is protected from
Injurious "washouts."
NATURES HAIR OIL.
The waxy secretion which is
poured out from the glandular or
gans which are found in connection
with the follicles of the hair is ma
ture's product, and is designed to
preserve and protect the wonderful
and beautiful head covering. If
we persist in removing it altogeth.
er we must march with the bald
pates before the frosts of age come
along to change Its color. Women
do not shampoo or wash the hair
as often as the other sex, ana con-
sequently they are in large de-
gree exempt from badness in mid
die life. 1t is true, however, that
many women in cities make fre-
quent visits to the hairdressers, and
subject their tresses to the "scour-
ing' process. If this becomes COM
mon, it will not be long before bald
ness will overtake the young moth
ers as we'll as the fathers, aud the
time will be hastened when chill
dren even will have no hair to de-
strOy with ammonia or other caus-
tic cosmetics.
The advice we haye to offer to
the young men and maidens is, let
your halr alone !; keep at a safe dis
taUce from hairdressing rooms and
drug shops, where are sold oils,
alkaline substances, alcoholic
mixtures, etc, for use upon the
hair. They are all pernicious, and
will do you harm. The head and
hair may be washed occasionally
with soft, tepid water, without soap,
of any kind. AS rule, the only
appliances needed in the care of
the hair are good combs and brush.
es and they should not be used